Thoughts on Controversial Co-Sleeping Ad?
Right now Milwaukee [where I live in case you didn't know] is making national headlines. Last night I came across this article on Yahoo! and this morning the story has already been on The Today Show and The View. And it's all due to a new controversial ad campaign. Milwaukee has one of the highest infant mortality rates and in an effort to save these babies, the Health Department created billboards which depict a baby sleeping next to a knife with the tag line "Your baby sleeping next to you can be just as dangerous".
As a mama to an 18 month old who I barely slept with and a newborn who I sleep with all the time, this has piqued my interest. I've obviously approached our sleeping habits differently with both children and honestly it has a lot less to do with my desires and a lot more to do with what each individual child needed/needs. From what I've seen, Eli is way more independent whereas Gabriella craves being close to mommy. I'll happily give my babies what they want...
Anyway, check out the ads and let me know your thoughts. Did our Health Department go too far? Are they not telling the whole story [that most co-sleeping deaths are drug and alcohol related]. Do you or did you co-sleep with your children?
I'll be honest with you. These ads don't necessarily bother me nor do I find them offensive or difficult to swallow. I consider myself pretty educated on these things and I know that an exclusively breastfeeding mama is much more in tune with her baby both awake and while asleep. Most of the time Gabriella and I stir at the same time and that's when I feed her while we both doze off again. It works great for us and our family.
But I'm curious to know your thoughts. Feel free to share!
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12 comments:
You have to make the choices that are best for you. However if a "scare tactic" ad saves even one life then I would think it served its purpose. I am all for promoting life. :-)
I didn't really co-sleep with Lizzy much at all, but I hate campaigns like this that use information out of context as scare tactics. The article includes people saying that Milwaukee's infant mortality rate is higher than that of third world countries and seems to imply that cutting down on co-sleeping will help decrease that mortality rate--but do we know for sure that those countries with lower infant mortality rates don't co-sleep?
On the other hand, I *do* like that the ads give a number to call for parents who can't afford a crib/pack and play. Certainly, not every parent who co-sleeps is educated about it, or is even doing it willingly...
Oh boy, these ads have been all over the natural parenting blog world.
The thing is, co sleeping isn't dangerous if done safely, so these ads are completely inaccurate. There is a statistic that says up to 90% of women end up sleeping with their baby at least once. And most of those women have never been taught safe sleep practices - only that co sleeping equals killing your child. If the ads instead promoted true safe sleep, a lot more moms would be educated and prepared, which I think is far more effective.
Another aspect to this - numerous infant sleep studies have been done in your state b/c of the high death rate. The most common factor in these deaths? The babies were formula fed. Now, would any mainstream media ever report that? Of course not, because it's so highly controversial. But breastfeeding does have an effect on safe sleep. So on the flip side, imagine if they pictured a child with a bottle of poison and equated that to formula. The uproar would be outrageous and rightfully so!! Not only is it a lie that formula is poison, but it's also not teaching anyone anything, it's just causing guilt and anger.
I just don't see where these ads promote anything but fear.
JMO. :)
I feel like they went a bit too far in those ad's. I'd like to see how many of those infant deaths (from co-sleeping) in Milwaukee were the result of a parent rolling on a child, or because one of the parents were intoxicated, etc, and how many deaths were attributed to SIDS. Co-sleeping can be wonderful, if it works for you, and if you are educated and aware. As someone who NEVER ever in a million years thought I'd co-sleep, as soon as my baby boy was born I found the only way we could both get rest, and where I was the most comfortable was having him in my bed. I nursed laying down and cradled him in the nook of my elbow so it wasn't possible for me to roll over (or move). He's 2 now, and we were able to get him in his crib for a good 6 months, but he is back in our bed. Our son has always been safe. My husband and I almost never drink (and if we do, it's usually one glass of wine), and do not use drugs. We've always been aware of our son next to us. Always.. We're not planning on co-sleeping with our 2nd, but not because it's not safe. We've had a baby in our bed for 2 years now and would really like some alone time. I think it's a personal decision. My mothers instinct always kicked in and I was constantly aware of where my son was in our bed. We both also work full-time so I hated the thought of having to put him in his crib in another room after I had been away from him all day. It's actually so much more common than most people think, I was surprised to find out how many women co-slept with their children after I admitted to it.
For those of you offended by this ad, I think you also have to keep in mind the people this ad is targeting. The majority of co-sleeping deaths happening in this city are happening to individuals who are living at or below the poverty level. These people are not co-sleeping out of choice. They are not co-sleeping because they believe in attachment parenting or natural parenting or anything like that. They are co-sleeping because it is the only warm place they have for their child. I urge people who think this ad is a bad thing to really read about Milwaukee’s co-sleeping death statistics and the individuals affected by these deaths. As you mentioned, a large number of deaths are attributed to parents (and grandparents) being under the influence of drugs and alcohol. A parent who co-sleeps out of actual choice would not do so under the influence. Aside from these ads, the city is also trying to make strides in parental drug and alcohol abuse and infant care education. Hospitals in low-income areas also make pack and plays available to new parents who can’t afford them. As a previous commenter said, if at least one innocent life is saved because of this ad, it is absolutely worth all of the backlash.
I was scared to death about co-sleeping with my oldest (who is now 2 1/2) because all I saw and heard were ads like the one you're referring to. Co-sleeping was portrayed so negatively and I thought it was wrong to do so.
After doing much research, I co-slept with my 2nd son. I slept so much MORE and BETTER with him in bed with us, than I did with my first born. Especially since I was (am) breastfeeding, it was so easy to feed during the night yet still rest. I think it's the perfect solution, as long as it's done in a correct way.
Ads like this do nothing except put fear into people. They would have been much better off putting an ad that was educational. It doesn't offend me, but it annoys me.
@Megan--I think you unintentionally hit the nail on the head in your comment. YOU did research, you WANTED to learn more about the CORRECT ways to co-sleep and the benefits it provides. The ad is not meant to warn people like you and I away from co-sleeping. It's not targeted at those of us who co-sleep because we believe it benefits the family.
I am in no way trying to be confrontational, but it just seems like there are too many people having a knee-jerk reaction to this and not thinking about the true reasoning behind it.
And I agree, there could be better ways to go about this; but in this society, sometimes shock value is the best option.
I co-slept with my son until he was 8-9 months old because he was colicky and fussy as a baby and like many other comments that worked best for us. I felt like I never got really good sleep though bc I was so attuned to the fact that he was in bed with me I never fell fully asleep :). I too agree that people need to research more and know what is right for them.
I also think that it is interesting that there is so much attention on co-sleeping related to SIDS...but another big SIDS risk is crib bumpers and EVERY baby bed set still comes with those included AND no safety warnings AT ALL! Does that have anything to do with the fact that someone is making money off those?
I just read a really interesting article from Mayim Bialik (from Blossom) about why she chooses to co-sleep: http://moms.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/07/6212018-mayim-bialik-why-we-let-our-children-sleep-in-our-bed.
Thought I'd share!
Very interesting because I literally just saw a billboard for this ad today while driving in northern MKE. And it really doesn't upset me much because honestly, like you and Katherine said---'co-sleeping' deaths in this city are almost always related to low income, drugs/alcohol, and very sad living situations. I should know b/c I treat patients in that area all the time---and I 100% agree with Katherine when she says these parents are co-sleeping b/c the babies have nowhere else to sleep. I do think our community needs a 'wake up call' of sorts, and education as well-----and I do not feel bad for co-sleeping my breastfeeding baby. I can separate my situation and my research on the topic from what those ads are targeting in our city. I think it's high time Milwaukee stepped it up and tries something else for education since we obviously have major problems up in here.
This is interesting
We co-sleep with our 16 month old. We have been since she was born. She had alot of issues and needed me. So I was there...I couldn't let her scream when she needed me. We never had any problems with her sleeping with us.
I know I'm late to the game, but I wanted to comment anyway. I don't like the ads. I'm not a fan of using scare tactics like this, however I see the need. The first year I was a social worker, one of the local DSS agencies I worked with was having some serious issues because there were 4 deaths of young children, including two who were smothered by parents while sleeping. It's a low income area. All the cases were under supervision by some part of DSS, though the case workers had doule to triple the number of cases they were supposed to have.
I think if they run these ads, then there needs to be follow up through DSS/social services (in all departments that work with families, not just CPS or WIC) as well as family care doctors and pediatricians. Case workers and doctor offices should all be trained and have information packets to give to parents on safe sleeping practices for infants and toddlers. Co-sleeping can be safe, and I think the parents who are choosing to co-sleep as a parenting choice and not out of a lack of an alternative place for the child to sleep, will do it anyway.
There is obviously a need to wake some of these parents up (literally and figuratively) and this ad might be the only thing the parents see that lets them know the dangers of co-sleeping or sleeping in a bed.
Unfortunately, the information coming from social services and doctor offices varies greatly from grossly inaccurate/unsafe information from some, to the most up to date information from others (regarding all issues - car seat safety, feeding, sleeping, medicines, etc...) And often times low income parents don't have access or don't know how to access other resources to get up to date safety information for their children.
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